Doing Penance for Others

My question is, and I am asking you in email because I just am not sure how to word it to pick-up the right stuff through site searches, how are we as Catholics (or Christians in general if that is a more correct way to put it) supposed to feel about sins that we have not committed? One of the priests at our parish spoke about the pedophile scandals and how we should confess our sins (and he said it like that - sounding like it implied we should as a group ask for forgiveness as Catholics for these terrible crimes) and seek forgiveness for allowing this to happen. Even though I think that these are horrible, awful, abominable events, and pray for both those who have been damaged by these sins, and as difficult as it is, those people who committed these sins, don’t exactly feel responsible for doing this myself so am having a hard time wrapping my head around repentance for the sins of others. I have sinned in a multitude of other ways but do I need to carry the burden of other people’s sins as well? Do I need to ask forgiveness for this myself? Are we supposed to ask forgiveness as Catholics even though we individually didn’t have anything to do with it? I really want to be thinking right on this and am confused about it or maybe the language used is just going right over my head. I can be dense but am super confused about this and am sincerely trying to understand as the Church teaches. Even if we can offer acts of penance as reparation for the sins of others (knowing that everyone is a sinner, or even in the circumstance of offering reparation for those who have entered into a specific sin,) we can’t actually repent for anyone but ourselves can we?

The notion of doing penance for others is a tricky one, particularly when those others are fellow Catholics who have wronged us by their sin and especially when those others are, in fact, the very priests who have been entrusted with the Tradition that bids us to do penance for others. It’s incredibly easy for the guilty parties to use such things as penance as a sort of tool for dissolving their actual guilt for actual sins in a sort of collective pool of “Well, we’re all sinners” or even “Hey! You are to blame for letting me sin!” or some other blame-shifting nonsense. One of the common themes to emerge from the scandal has been that monsters like Fr. Maciel would indeed abuse their victims and then lay the guilt for the abuse on the victim. And depending on how psychologically strong the victim was, that burden of guilt would often be accepted. It is not the least of that man’s crimes and may God have mercy on his soul for it.

So it’s not too surprising that calls for Catholics to do penance for these sins often get interpreted as blame-shifting. However, I would submit that this is not, properly understood, how we who bear no personal responsibility for the Scandal should understand the call to penance. Penance does not mean “take the fall and bear the blame so that guilty people can skate or dissolve their sense of responsibility for the crimes in the Collective”. Penance is, in the Christian tradition, our participation in the innocent suffering of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world. Our tradition tells us that Christ who knew no sin, became sin for our sake so that we might become the righteousness of God. He bore the sins of the world, but he did not commit the sins of the world. He was blameless, and opened not his mouth, says Isaiah. Similarly, in Christ, Paul declares that he fills up in his flesh what is lacking with respect to the suffering of Christ for the sake of His Body, the Church (Colossians 1:24). That doesn’t mean “Jesus didn’t do enough so I have to make up for his well-meaning but inadequate effort on the Cross.” Rather, it means that as Christians, we bear the cross with Jesus and offer our innocent sufferings in union with His for the good of others—including others who are sinners as guilty as hell.

It is a radical misreading of the Tradition to say that, for instance, you are somehow personally guilty for some sin committed by a pervert priest or negligent bishop. Don’t approach penance for their sins as though you must somehow feel guilty for crimes and sins you did not commit. Therefore, you also cannot and should not try to “repent” for sins and crimes you did not commit.

On the other hand, part of the nature of the Christian faith is that it recognizes the fact of human solidarity. You neither personally ate from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, nor handled the hammers that drove nails through the flesh of the Son of God. Yet, in some mysterious sense, when these sins were committed, we were all implicated in them. This is why it doesn’t do (as many Catholics have done over the centuries) to say that “the Jews killed Jesus” (with the convenient suggestion that I most certainly had nothing to do with it). The fact is, Jesus’ death occurred because we, the human race, killed Jesus—and therefore, by the miracle of grace, Jesus died for us all and now offers his grace to us all. It is in the awareness of our radical solidarity with each other and with Jesus that we can offer penance for one another. Such penance does not mean that some guilty cleric is saying, “It’s not my fault! It’s your fault!” It means rather, that as members of the Body of Christ in union with the innocent Christ crucified, we can offer our innocent sufferings and acts of self-denial and prayer so that the evil of these sins can be purged from the Church and the world. Our prayers and sacrifices, offered in penance, become sacramental, not simply isolated events that have nothing to do with the common good. Whether the sinner repents or not is not within your power to determine or make happen. That is between him and God. But whether you make an offering of your life in union with Jesus who said, “Forgive them” is within your power. And such offerings, accepted by God as fragrant sacrifices can be and have been powerful instruments of conversion for sinners. Nobody knew that better than Paul himself, whose conversion began with Stephen’s penitential offering of his very life for the men (including Saul of Tarsus) who were mad to murder him and for whom he prayed, “Lord, do not count this sin against them.”

Comments

This was pretty provided that there are a lot of out there just waiting for the right.

Posted by Jude on Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 6:53 PM (EDT):

Someone at work (a fallen away Catholic man who is now a Protestant bible thumper , esp. to me) has stated that we cannot make atonement for another person’s sins. I said that I believe we could do that and that the Catholic faith teaches that) I brought up the word ‘victim soul’ up and he would not let me explain that to him. I was wrong and that was that. So, I just said a prayer for him to make atonement for his sins even though I did not know what they were. And then I found this online which I thought explained that we can make atonement for another’s sins so that that person might become ‘clean’ enough’ for the Holy Spirit to enter some enlightenment about God because some of this man’s sins were atoned for and erased. I believed this as a child. Another time, with my younger brother, long story short…he died of an overdose while I was literally in confession, in confession not only for my sins but I made myself in some ways at fault for possibly making him the person he was. I believe that it was as though I made his last confession for him that day.

Theological issues

From a theological view, reparation is closely connected with those of atonement and satisfaction, and thus belonging to some of the deepest mysteries of the Christian Faith. Christian theology teaches that man is a creature who has fallen into original sin from an original state of grace in which he was created, and that through the Incarnation, Passion, and Death of Jesus Christ, he has been redeemed and restored again in a certain degree to the original condition.
Christian theology asserts that it was by voluntary submission that Jesus Christ died on the cross to atone for man’s disobedience and sin and that his death made reparation for the sins and offenses of the world.

.....“Catholicism professes that by adding their prayers, labours, and trials to the redemption won by Christ’s death, Christians can attempt to make reparation to God for their own offenses and those of others.”....

Protestant Christians believe that the prize is already won by Christ for those who believe, wholly apart from their merit, or lack thereof, and that obedience and service to Christ is an outflowing of the new life that he purchased for them in his death on the cross.
The theological doctrine of reparation is the foundation of the numerous confraternities and pious associations which have been founded, especially in modern times, to make reparation to God for the sins of men. The Archconfraternity of Reparation for blasphemy and the neglect of Sunday was founded 28 June, 1847, in the Church of St. Martin de La Noue at St. Dizier in France by Mgr. Parisis, Bishop of Langres. With a similar object, the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face was established at Tours, about 1851, through the piety of M. Dupont, the “holy man of Tours”. In 1883 an association was formed in Rome to offer reparation to God on behalf of all nations. The idea of reparation is an essential element in the devotion of the Sacred Heart, and acts of reparation were once common public devotions in Roman Catholic churches. One of the ends for which the Eucharist is offered is for reparation. A pious widow of Paris conceived the idea of promoting this object in 1862. By the authority of Pope Leo XIII the erection of the Archconfraternity of the Mass of Reparation was sanctioned in 1886.

Thank you so much for posting this. I found it insightful and inspired. I’ve always thought it made sense that we could sort of offer up our suffering for the forgiveness of others’ sins. I think it’s one of the nicest things we can do for someone else, offering penance for them. Wouldn’t it amaze and touch you to know that someone offered a penance for you?

Posted by Charlie Woodbury on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 2:17 PM (EDT):

Great comments above me! All I can add is that we do not have the grace to judge our priests. On our “D”
day, (DESTINY DAY FOR US) I think we’ll be asked, ” Did you pray for them? “

Posted by Denis Goyet on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 1:46 PM (EDT):

Pennance of course but Reparation is a great way to do it. Its non judgemental, it is penetential, and strikes at the result of sin.

Posted by Frankie on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 11:14 PM (EDT):

Jesus asked St. Faustina to record these words, which is the Divine Mercy Chaplet:

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; IN ATONEMENT FOR OUR SINS AND THOSE OF THE WHOLE WORLD

For the sake of His sorrowful passion…Have Mercy on us and on the whole world…

Posted by luzvimindarp on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 9:31 PM (EDT):

Good day, yes I do believe in it because it happened to me in a dream. The Lord told me to ask for forgiveness. I questioned the Lord, why should I ask forgiveness when as far as I know I did not committed sin against them. After telling that to the Lord, I keep quiet for a moment, then a flashback came in my mind portraying Jesus dying on the cross asking forgiveness to the Father in behalf of other people sin. And then I looked up to Jesus and ask forgiveness for asking Him the question “why” and thanking Him for enlightening my mind and revealing Himself to me and guiding me on the things that I will be doing. God is merciful and full of love, so let us join hand in praying and doing penance for others sin, it makes us more a better Christian. God bless us all.

Posted by bt on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 5:16 PM (EDT):

I just finished reading the biography, St. Lydwine oF Schiedam (1380-1433) By J. K. Huysmans, whose life was one of suffering and illness in reparation for the sins of those in here country, Holland. She is the patron saint of ice skaters.

Yes, we should pray for victims of crimes, and the the perpetrators. But doing penance for the sins of others is tribal thinking. There is no tribal soul or collective guilt in Catholicism, as in some primitive religions. While in Christian charity we try to make amends for the sins of others, that is not doing penance for their wrong-doing. We have individual not collective souls. Jesus has died once for all. We gain or lose eternity by our own actions. When we pray for a soul in purgatory, we do not atone for the sins of another. We are praying to God to be merciful to that person.

Posted by Sue on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 4:03 PM (EDT):

Thanks Mark—your answer to that woman was dynamic for me. I always thought that it was unfair for the black community to blame the white community, for slavery, even though only the rich had slaves, and (after all my parents came to this country long after slavery.) Now I understand why we as Americans should take blame,as a whole and “own up to it”. Slavery happened within our country. Now, as a Catholic, I understand why we should do penance for the whole church community for the (pedophelia-scandal)which was the ‘wrong’ done within our Church.

Posted by Ro on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 3:25 PM (EDT):

There is a great Apostolic letter written by our wonderful John Paul the Great. Here’s a link for it at the Vatican website, (or you can go to a Catholic bookstore and pick one up—it’s worth reading over and over). http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_11021984_salvifici-doloris_en.html

Posted by john on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 2:23 PM (EDT):

Mark,

Does this great mystery of redemptive suffering find its most fruitful efficacy in the Mass? Christ offered his redemptive sacrfice once for all in time on Calvary; this same sacrifice is made present on the altar at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. But at Mass Christ the Eternal High Priest grants to us, the members of his Mystical Body baptized into his priesthood, the privilege of assisting at his offering of Himself to the Father. Thus, we can offer to the Father our sacrifices and sufferings (really our whole lives) which Christ offers to the Father united to his own sacrifice (for the ends of adoration, thanksgiving, supplication, and REPARATION). Surely then, this becomes the perfect way to share in Christ’s redemptive work? Or am I misunderstanding something? Thanks.

Posted by Cathy on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 2:21 PM (EDT):

Great post. I think our prayers offer much insight as well. When we pray the Fatima prayer after each decade of the Rosary, we pray that our Lord lead all souls to heaven, not 99.9999% reserving hell for the .0001% I may think deserve it. In the Divine Mercy devotion, we offer to the Father, our Lord, Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, in atonement for our sins, and the sins of the whole world. While we do not presume the salvation of any, we are called to hope and pray for the salvation of all.

Posted by Carl Schmidt on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 12:49 PM (EDT):

To Suzanne:
“Offering up” is just another way of refering to the process that Mark describes in his post and his response LRoy.

Posted by Suzanne A SLUPESKY on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 12:30 PM (EDT):

I’m glad this question was submitted and I appreciate all the input here on it, as I’m a convert and want to do the right thing, but sometimes still don’t “get it”! One additional question and maybe it’s basic, but….what exactly is meant by ‘offering up’,,?? I’ve never been able to figure that out.

Posted by Mark on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 12:11 PM (EDT):

Mark, greta reflection. This helps refocus my mind and spirit on what I can do about all this besides wrining my hands and letting doubt and fear creap into my thoughts. Thank you!

Yup. We all feel that way. :) Still we are called to assist one another with our prayers and put up with each others failings.

Two, if this penance for others is going to count for the pedophiles, then it should also account for other atrocities like abortion.

Right you are. Prayer and penance for sinners is certainly not only for one particular form of sin.

Third, there are plenty of people living or dead (granted some are “celebrities”—no names to protect the guilty) I would LOVE to do penance for even if they don’t know it…if I only knew what to do and say.

That’s the spirit! A fine way to start is this: “What do you do during Lent?” Just do that. Skip a meal. Say a decade of the Rosary. Find some act of kindness or almsgiving. Offer up some bit of tedium or suffering to the Father through Christ on behalf of somebody else. Voila! You’ve done a bit of penance.

Posted by Amy on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 12:03 PM (EDT):

Catherine, great reminder! Thanks! And thanks for your wonderful (as usual) insight, Mark. If I eventually pass the final judgment and make it into heaven, it will be because of people like the two of you (and the rest of the community of saints, too, especially my parents who I’m sure are praying for me from heaven). God bless you.

Two, if this penance for others is going to count for the pedophiles, then it should also account for other atrocities like abortion.

Third, there are plenty of people living or dead (granted some are “celebrities”—no names to protect the guilty) I would LOVE to do penance for even if they don’t know it…if I only knew what to do and say.

Posted by Rachel on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 10:51 AM (EDT):

I really appreciate being reminded that we are together in this - all members of the Body of Christ. We can help each other (or sadly, hurt each other) so easily.

Posted by john on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 9:59 AM (EDT):

Mark, thanks for providing some much needed clarity on the mystery of redemptive suffering for me. Great job as usual.

Catherine, good point.

Posted by Catherine on Monday, Apr 19, 2010 9:49 AM (EDT):

I think the call to penance for the sins of others also helps avoid standing in prideful judgment over them. Rather than the haughty, “I would never do such a thing”, we have the humble recognition that “there but for the grace of God go I.” We are all so weak and without God’s grace completely vulnerable to the most despicable sins. So I think this is a call not only to pray for and make sacrifices for the sinners around us, but to stay as close as we can to the sources of God’s grace lest we too fall.

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About Mark Shea

Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.